Alamo mountain the easy way
Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2025 8:20 pm
Earlier I "biked" up to Alamo mountain a really stupid way because the easy way to closed due to the Post fire. But recently I've been hearing rumors that the easy approach is usable again, and I went over there today to check it out. It is indeed much easier, and is quite delightful in fact. I look forward to coming back for an overnight sometime.
Access to Alamo Mountain Rd from the SE is through the Hungry Valley OHV area. The near entrance off Smoky Bear rd is closed; I think that's where the fire was. So you approach from Gorman and Gold Hill rd. Currently the gate at the far end of the OHV area at the LPNF boundary is closed (this is seasonal), so you must park inside the OHV area. Which means you must pay them $5. It also means that you have to be gone before 18:00, or else you get locked in AND get a ticket. The lady at the entrance gate said to park at the furthest campground (Smith Forks), although there's plenty of space right at the LPNF gate, and that probably would have been fine.
Gold hill rd has not-very-good pavement, but it's plenty good enough. This continues through Hungry Valley to LPNF, across Piru Creek and part-way up Alamo Mountain. The roads are good; a high clearance vehicle would be able to go all the way to Dutchman Camp easily. A sedan probably could too, if the driver were careful.
Alright. After the pass to the Piru Creek drainage you can clearly see Alamo Mountain in front of you:
You drop down and cross Piru Creek. It's flowing well:
Very few humans come up here, so there are animals plenty.
Good boy. We walked on the road for a long time, and I was following his tracks for a while. At about 6000ft you get into the pines, and it gets real nice. Many patches of snow up here as well.
I made it to Dutchman camp again
And kept going to complete the loop. Here's the road that branches off to Sewart mountain (and White and Black and Snowy and Cobblestone)
The descent was quick, and I mostly spent it looking at the Tehachapis and the Southern Sierra
Recommended!
Access to Alamo Mountain Rd from the SE is through the Hungry Valley OHV area. The near entrance off Smoky Bear rd is closed; I think that's where the fire was. So you approach from Gorman and Gold Hill rd. Currently the gate at the far end of the OHV area at the LPNF boundary is closed (this is seasonal), so you must park inside the OHV area. Which means you must pay them $5. It also means that you have to be gone before 18:00, or else you get locked in AND get a ticket. The lady at the entrance gate said to park at the furthest campground (Smith Forks), although there's plenty of space right at the LPNF gate, and that probably would have been fine.
Gold hill rd has not-very-good pavement, but it's plenty good enough. This continues through Hungry Valley to LPNF, across Piru Creek and part-way up Alamo Mountain. The roads are good; a high clearance vehicle would be able to go all the way to Dutchman Camp easily. A sedan probably could too, if the driver were careful.
Alright. After the pass to the Piru Creek drainage you can clearly see Alamo Mountain in front of you:
You drop down and cross Piru Creek. It's flowing well:
Very few humans come up here, so there are animals plenty.
Good boy. We walked on the road for a long time, and I was following his tracks for a while. At about 6000ft you get into the pines, and it gets real nice. Many patches of snow up here as well.
I made it to Dutchman camp again
And kept going to complete the loop. Here's the road that branches off to Sewart mountain (and White and Black and Snowy and Cobblestone)
The descent was quick, and I mostly spent it looking at the Tehachapis and the Southern Sierra
Recommended!